Corset-clasp.



. satema 061.10; |899; A. HERR. f

CORSET CLASP. (Appucgzim :ma nb. 2x, 1899.)

(H0 Model.)

(wu/meow mc mams Fm'ms co, Mmmm. wlswnmu. o. c.

ilNiTED STATES ATENT y' )tra AUSTIN HERR, OF ST. ELMO, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE EUREKA INSTAN- TANEOUS OPENING CORSET STEEL COMPANY, OF' DOVER, DELAIVARE.

CORSET-CLASP.'

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 634,576, dated October 10, 1899. Application led le'bruary 2l., 1899. Serial No. 706,399. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern: I

Be it known that I, AUSTIN HERR, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Elmo, Alexandria county, State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oorset-Clasps, of which the following is aV and so as to permit the unlocking of all of the studs simultaneously. To this end I construct the parts as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a face view of my improved corset-clasp. Fig. 2/is the lsame of one of the busks. Fig. 3 is a face View of the blades of the latter busk. Fig. e is a face view of another blade of the latter bush. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5 5, Fig. l.

There are two busks A B in my improved corset-clasp, the .bnsk B, like many others, being provided with headed studs or pins 8, arranged at suitable intervals and adapted to cooperate with the engaging parts on the busk A. This busk A consists of two plates or blades l 2, the blade l being provided with projections 3V and the blade 2 with similarlyarranged projections 4, the blade 2 either lying upon or beneath and sliding longitudinally in respect to the blade l, being confined thereto by pins 6 passing from the blade l through slots 1U in the blade 2 and extending through washers 7 and riveted, as shown, or any other suitable fastening means may be employed to permit the blade 2 to slide upon or beneath the blade l to a limited extent. Preferably, as shown, the partsN are so connected that the projections 4 of the blade 2 in being carried from the projections 3 of the bladel will be moved upward, so that naturally the descent of the blade 2 wouldv tend to bring the projections 4 to their lower positions.

Each projection 3 has al slot c ext-endingl from the outer end inward and enlarged to form an eye 0:', adapted to receive the head ofthe pin 8, the slot :c being of sufficientwidth to permit the'passage of the stem of the pin or stud, and 'each projection eis provided with a hook 5, which when the projection e is in a lower position will cross a slot .fr and close the outer end of the same, so that the stem of the stud, after being drawn outward, can pass into the inner portion of the slot fr, but on contact with the edge y of the hook 5 is prevented from `moving farther outward. When the blade 2 is .raised to the position shown in Fig. 2, all of the hooks 5 are carried awayfroin the slots, and the stems of the stud can then be passed inward through the slots Scor the heads may be passed upward through the eyes'm, and then by longitudinal movement of the blade 2 all the hooks are caused to cross the'slots Thus the two busks are securely fastened together and cannot be separated until the blade 2 is moved upward. For Vthis purpose it is only necessary for the wearer to bear against the lower end of the blade 2, which maybe turned slightly outward to afford a bearing, and push it upward, when at once the two busks are unhooked. Whether the blade 2 is pushed downward or not, it will naturally tend to fall or work downward to a locking position, and therefore there will be littledanger of displacement in actual use.

It will be seen that the draft of the studs is outward against the hooks 5, and in order to enable them to better withstand the strain the projections 3 extend on both sides .of the same, affording lateral bearings in both directions. In order to prevent the outward strain from tending to lift the blade 2 and, in fact, to secure a reverse action, I incline the edges -g/ of one or more hooks inward toward the blade at the outer end, whereby the outward draft tends rather to draw the hooks 5 downward than to lift' Ythem and to open the slots.

It is lnot always necessary to have the slots enlarged to form eyes as they may be carried back without enlargement, as shown in the bottom position, Fig. 3, in which case the stems of the studs may be passed inward through the slots rand will be locked in place by the downward movement of the blade 2, as before described.

Theprojections 3 4 may be formed in plates of brass or other material riveted to the blades l 2; but I prefer to form them in one piece with the latter, as it makes the article less bulky. A stud 10 o'n the block 2 projects through a slot 'u near the top of the blade l and constitutes a means of sliding the blade 2 by applying the power at the upper end of the busk. The wearer can thus unlock the upper studs while holding the lower one in position and then return the blade 2 to place, so that the busks remain connected at the bottom only.

/Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention- 1. The combination in a corset-clasp, of a husk consisting of a blade provided with projections at one side, each with a slot extending inward from the outer end, and a second blade sliding longitudinally on the first and provided with hooks rigid therewith arranged to cross said slots to close the outer ends of the same, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a corset-clasp, of a busk consisting of a blade provided with projections at one side, each with a slot extending inward from the outer end and enlarged to form an eye, and a second blade sliding longitudinally on the first and provided with hooks rigid therewith arranged to cross said slots to close the outer ends of the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a corset-clasp, of a busk consisting of a blade provided with projections at one side, each witha slot eXtending inward from the outer end, and a second blade sliding longitudinally on the first and provided with hooks rigid therewith arranged to cross said slots to close the outer ends of the same, one or more of said hooks having inclined edges, substantially as set forth.

v 4. The combination in a corset-clasp, of a busk consisting of a blade provided with projections at one side, each with a slot extending inward from the outer end, and a second blade sliding longitudinally on the first and provided with hooks rigid therewith arranged 4to cross said slots to close the outer ends of the same, the latter blade arranged to slide to carry the hooks away from the slotted projcctions in an upward direction, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a corset-elasp, of a busk consisting of plates each consisting of a vsteel blade with projections at one edge in 

